Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Spinach Salad with Crumbled Feta and Tomato Vinaigrette

Last week I was talking about my crazy busy summer schedule (which hasn't even remotely slowed down, by the way) and how I've been trying to combine store bought dinner help with an easy fresh side dish. So, let's chat about that again because it seems to be working well to get me through the crazy days without ordering take-out.

Of all the frozen options out there, my frequent go-to is Lean Cuisine. And I know I'm not alone in this because at every corporate office I've ever worked there's always a wait at the microwave while people heated up their Lean Cuisine lunches. For dinner I typically want a bigger portion but that's where I've always supplemented with salad or vegetables so that it stayed healthy and well balanced.

My store bought convenience also includes pre-washed salad kits because my salad spinner is tucked away somewhere that's hard to get to when it's late and I'm hungry. Baby spinach is totally my thing and, since all good salads need cheese, I like it with crumbled feta. But if that sounds a little ordinary, I totally zing it up with a tomato vinaigrette.

For last night's dinner I was at the store, restocking, and saw the Vermont White Cheddar Mac and Cheese and there was no way that wasn't coming home with me. Creamy mac made with no preservatives and organic pasta, crisp fresh salad and dinner on my plate in 30 minutes on a busy day is winning. Enjoy!

Spinach Salad with Crumbled Feta and Tomato Vinaigrette

by Hungry Couple

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 5 Minutes

6079091

Ingredients (1 Serving)

3/4 Cup baby spinach leaves

2 Tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

1/4 English (seedless) cucumber

2 Tablespoons diced red onion

Tomato Vinaigrette:

1 Small clove garlic, peeled

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Teaspoon lemon juice

1 Teaspoon low fat mayonnaise

2 Cherry tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette, add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, mayonnaise and tomatoes to a blender or small food processor. Puree until smooth and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the mac and cheese in the microwave according to package directions and serve hot with the salad.